6/23/07

To answer a really dumb situation, let's paraphrase the lyrics of a really dumb song: "How d'you solve a problem called Dick Cheney?"

(06-22) 04:00 PDT Washington -- Vice President Dick Cheney's office has refused to comply with an executive order governing the handling of classified information for the past four years and recently tried to abolish the office that sought to enforce those rules, according to documents released by a congressional committee Thursday.

For four years, Vice President Dick Cheney has resisted routine oversight of his office’s handling of classified information, and when the National Archives unit that monitors classification in the executive branch objected, the vice president’s office suggested abolishing the oversight unit, according to documents released yesterday by a Democratic congressman.

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Dick Cheney says Dick Cheney is above the law

"An absurdity of the ages ... The vice president is pretending he isn't part of the executive branch and the White House is pretending that the rules for protecting classified information are being followed,"

Vice President Dick Cheney has asserted his office is not a part of the executive branch of the U.S. government, and therefore not bound by a presidential order governing the protection of classified information by government agencies, according to a new letter from Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., to Cheney.

*************BUT WAIT! Doesn't he continually claim Executive Privilege as a justification for never revealing what goes on in the cave behind his spider's web? *******************

White House Backs Cheney's Disregard for Executive Order

Washington PostSaturday, June 23, 2007

-- The White House defended Vice President Dick Cheney on Friday in a dispute over the refusal by his office to comply with an executive order regulating the handling of classified information as Democrats and other critics assailed him for disregarding rules that others follow.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Cheney was not obligated to submit to oversight by an office that safeguards classified information. Cheney's office has argued it does not have to comply because the vice president's role as president of the Senate means his office is not an "entity within the executive branch."

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Meanwhile in more tropical climes ...************

WASHINGTON, June 22 — The Bush administration acknowledged Friday that its top officials were once again actively debating recommendations about how and when to close the detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, but officials said they thought it could be weeks or months before a decision was made.

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OKAY -- time for everyone to cool out, take a vacation. Simple solution:

SEND CHENEY TO GUANTANAMO -- AND KEEP HIM THERE, GETTING TICKLED BY OUR SPECIALISTS, UNTIL HE UNDERSTANDS THE CONSTITUTION -- OR -- JUST LEAVE HIM THERE IN HIS OFFICE AS THE CHIEF OF THE FOURTH DIVISION OF GOVERNMENT (Executive, Legislative, Judicial -- and the new one -- CHENEY).

HEY -- HE'S TOLD US HOW MUCH HE LOVES GITMO -- LET'S LET HIM LIVE THERE.